Maternity girdle



Dec. 17, 1957 P. BLATT MATERNITY GIRDLE Filed oct. 29, 1954 ,new

Ueifsfetss Para 2,816,291 MATERN'ITY GI'RDLE Paula Blatt, Cleveland, (lhio l Application October 2.9, 19454, Serial N02- 465,620

This linvention relates to the Ageneral art of wearing apparel and, more particularly, to an improved maternity girdle.

n The object of my present invention is to ydevise a girdle that is capable of effective and comfortable engagement (l) Ibeneath. the abdomen of the wearers body for suitable support thereof during the advancing stages of pregnancy, (2) in the sacroiliac region of the wearers body so as to provide tirm supporting engagement, and (3) beneath her buttock so as to assist in preventing. the garment from riding upwardly when stockings are not worn with garters attached to the garment.

Another object is to provide a -gird-le that willvbe comfortable during all movements of the wearers body including forward and rearward bending movements.

A Another object is to devise a girdle with a comparatively inexpensive means for permitting stretch both vertically and laterally so as to accommodate itself in a substantially universal manner to the movements ofthe wearers body while at the same time affording a snug and firm supportingfengagement of the girdle about her body.

Another object is to devise a -girdle with firm means of support vat the rear part of the Ibutt-ock of the wearer while permitting suitable stretch at the upper'part thereof forsea'sy application ofthe girdle to the wearers body and suitable stretch at the lower partyduring. sitting position.

Other objects will appear from the following `description and claims when considered together with the drawing.

Fig. l is afront view -of my present girdle;

Fig. 2 isa rear view thereof;

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of a portion thereof;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Referring tothe accompanying drawing, the body of my present girdle comprises the two duplicate front-side and-rear parts 1 and 2 of satin `elastic material which are sewed together at the vertical rear seam 3 and' `also in overlapping relation at the front, as at 4. The overlapping portionsl 4 of inverted trapezoidal form are adapted to be positioned in an upwardly and lforwardly inclined manner so to' afford most effective supporti-ng engagement be neath the abdominal region of the wearers body, that is throughout the advancing stages of pregnancy. A longitudinally elastic band 5 of substantial width and corresponding resistance to stretch is sewed at its upper edge about the entire extent lof the girdle at the bottom thereof; and a longitudinally elastic band 6 of the `same width and character has its lower edge sewed about the girdle at the top thereof, this band terminating at points at the rear of the wearers body and at the sides of the sacroilia-c region. A special form of s-upporting means, indicated in `a general way by reference numeral 7, is provided at the rear and has its ends sewed to the upwardly extending biased end edges of the elastic band 6. Extending also between the rear ends of the band 6, at the lower parts 2 thereof, is the more narrow longitudinally elastic strip 8l which has its lower longitudinal edge sewed to the upper rear substantially horizontal edges` of the parts 1 and 2. It is to be noted that the elastic band 8 is free of the part 7 throughout; and the bands '7a and 8 are of such width and are so arranged that they will overlap each other vertically to sufficient extent to ensure such overlapping relationship at all times and during' all positions of the wearers body including forward and rearward bending.

movements.

Having referred to the general structure of my' present girdle, I will now describe the several parts more s'pe'- citically and explain the advantages of their particular arrangement.

The front-side-and-rear parts 1 and 2 are cutupon thebias at approximately forty-tive (45) degrees to the direction of the elastic element thereof so as to aiord a` stretch both vertically and laterally of the body of the girdle. The parts 1 and 2 are narrowed at the front thereof and are placed in overlapping relation to each' other in this region, so that this laminated portion will be inelastic in the vertical direction for positive supporting engagement beneath the abdomen of the wearer but will have lateral stretch in a direction about her body.

The upper elastic band 6 isv so gathered along itsy front lower edge that it will assume' an upwardly and outwardly inclined position, as above referred to; which is" the same .lateral extent as the laminated portion 4,so`l` as' to still further contribute to the abdamen-'supportingM means at this point.

By cutting the rear ends of the band- 6' on' af'bi'as; there is obtained an increased extent for attachment thereto ofthe ends of the wider elastic bandA of the rear' supporting' means 7. This supporting means 7 is` of ay generally trapezoidal form and comprises two bands 7d eaclrI at' tached at its one end 7b tothe end of band 6l and each having its other end portion folded back upon itself. in a downward inclined mannerand then sewed 'at its fnclinedv end' 7c to itself in suchl overlapping relation. Then the two adjacent folded ends of thev bands 7` are sewed? together, -as at 7d, along a vertical line at a point laterally from the folded ends; and they extreme' folded end por-- tions are doubled back and inwardly away from eacl'r" other -and are sewed along l-in'es 7e in such tiattened position so as to lie in the same plane and together'to constitute a vertically extending ri-bof substantially rigid nature for supporting engagementin the region. of. the sacroiliac joint. At the same time, this reinforcing means is capable of a certain degree of stretch in a lateral or horizontal direction so as to permit the necessary yield for comfortable and snug engagement of the girdle as it adapts itself to the body of the wearer. By inclining t-he end portions of the lbands 7a downwardly, 'as above described, the length of the rib is extended downwardly, as indicated in the present drawing. Also, the inclination of the sewed joints in different directions serves to increase still further the rigidity of this supporting means 7 in directions other than the horizontal or lateral direction and hence its efficiency as a supporting means for the sacroiliac region of the wearers body is enhanced. It is to be observed th-at, by virtue of the separation between the bands 7a and 8, there will'be permitted all required relative movement between these parts incident to any bending movement of the body of the wearer when the girdle is in position upon her body and without any disturbance of the Supporting means 7 in the sacroiliac region. Thus this feature is calculated toensure a combined sense of comfort and security at all times and under all conditions.

Due to the particular form and arrangement of the several parts, as herein described, the bottom edge of my present girdle will extend angularly land downwardly from the front to the rear thereof, where there is obtained an effective engagement beneath the buttock of the wearers body. Not only does the lower elastic band have such engagement, but such manner of engagement is adorded also by the adjoining portions of the girdle in this region of the same and thus there is a rm and comfortable engagement throughout the entire lower part of the girdle as a means of distributing such engagement over an increased `area of the wearers body.

Thus my present form of girdle will always be maintained in proper position upon the body of the wearer. The rm engagement of the girdle in the sacroiliac region of the wearers body will prevent the girdle from slipping downwardly and will also give the wearer a sense of security as well las comfort at all times; and the engagement beneath the buttock of the body of the wearer will pre'- vent the girdle `from riding or creeping upwardly so that this garment does not depend upon the wearing of stockings and garters for the purpose `of holding the same in position at all times. There will be realized also an effective and comfortable means of engagement beneath the abdominal region of the wearers body so that, at all times during the successive stages of pregnancy, this supporting means will be capable of expanding and adapting itself to the progressive enlargement of this part of the body of the wearer. As above noted, there will be permitted also an adaptation of the rear part of the girdle during all bending movements yof the wearer and without any interference with lthe position of the firm supporting engagement in the sa-croiliac region or with the engaging means beneath the buttock of the wearer. As a still further refinement of my present form of girdle, as herein disclosed, there may be eiected stretch in each of the elastic bands 5 and 6 more or less independently of the other so that the functioning of the one in the manner and for the purpose herein explained will not interfere with the functioning of the other while at the same time there will be a co-ordination between these parts of the girdle in the production yof a unitary result of a most desirable nature in the class of art to which the present invention relates.

Although, as above explained, it is not necessary to wear garters and stockings for the purpose of holding the present form of girdle down in proper position, yet 'it f is to be understood that this is entirely a matter of choice upon the part of the wearer and that there may be provision for attachment `of garters at the bottom of the girdle at any time as may be desired.

Another advantage of my present form of girdle consists in the particular form and arrangement of the satin elastic parts 1 and 2 which, by virtue of being cut on the bias, will respond in a practically universal' manner with the necessary stretch ias may be required by the various movements of the body of the wearer; the present structure involving considerably less cost in both material and labor than would be involved in the use of the familiar knit material which in and of itself permits stretch in all directions. Furthermore, the elastic satin Iaffords a firmer and yet softer engagement about the body of the wearer and thus gives 11er an increased feeling of comfort and security.

What I yclaim is:

1. A maternity girdle comprising a band adapted to extend beneath the abdomen of the wearers body and about her hip and sacroiliac regionvs, and a leglcss body of elastic material -attached to and depending from said band `but being free therefrom in the sacroiliac region and being adapt-ed to extend beneath the abdomen of the body of the wearer and about her hips and buttock,y and a member extending laterally .across the outside of the lower part of said band in the sacroiliac region and having ends attached to said band and having a lower edge attached to said body of elastic material in the sacroliac region, said member being otherwise free of said band so as to permit said band to remain in substantially ixed' position in the sacroiliac region of the wearers body during all stretching movement thereof, and said member extending upwardly suciently to ensure overlying relation of the same `at all times with respect to said band.

2. A maternity girdle comprising a band adapted to extend beneath the abdomen of the wearers body and about her hip and sacroiliac regions, and a legless body having duplicate front-side-and-rear portions of one-way elastic material attached to and depending from said band and adapted to extend about and to cover the hips and buttock of the wearers body, said front-side-'and-rear portions being cut on the bias in opposite directions, the one with respect to the other, so as to afford vertical and lateral stretch throughout t-he main parts thereof when in position upon the body of the wearer, said front-sideand-rear portions having vertically narrowed parts at the front secured together in overlapping relation to each other and being adapted for engagement exclusively beneath the abdomen of the weare-rs body so as to provide an abdomen-supporting means that is free of stretch in the vertical direction and that has stretch in only the lateral direction when in position upon the body of the wearer.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 682,270 Hirschberg Sept. l0, 1901 1,413,578 Freed Apr. 25, 1922 1,830,528 Cohon Nov. 3, 1951 2,166,312 Lunney July 18, 1952 2,610,324 Dowd Sept. 16, 1952 2,617,990 Allard Nov. 18, 1952 2,644,945 Lewis July 14, 1953 2,661,469 Blatt Dec. 8, 1953 2,687,526 Blais Aug. 31, 1954 2,705,799 Frischer Apr. 12, 1955 

